Suspended ceiling clip



June 8, 1965 M. LYDARD 3,137,354

SUSPENDED CEILING CLIP Filed Feb. 24, 1959 FIG.|.

I l i Jr 29 a m i IH- mu- United StatesPatent O 3,187,854 SUSPENDED CEILING CLIP Martin L. Lydard, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Eastern Products Corporation, Baltimore, Md, a corporation of Maryland Filed Feb. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 795,097 Claims. (Cl. 189-35) The present invention relates to suspended ceilingconstructions and more particularly to a clip for use in such constructions.

In suspended ceiling constructions as commonly used,

a series of spaced parallel runners are suspended from primary ceiling members and are used to support the acoustical tiles or other sheets or panels which make up all or a major portion of the ceiling as viewed from the room beneath. The runners are generally formed with a vertical web portion and horizontal flanges at the top and bottom, the top flanges abutting against the primary ceiling members and the bottom flange or flanges serving to support the acoustical tiles or other sheets or panels.

Steel wire clips of various shapes have theretofore been used for attaching such runners to the primary ceiling members, one form of clip being shown, for example, in Macleod Patent 1,984,028 which issued December 11, 1934. Wire clips for this purpose, in order to be satisfactory, must meet certain requirements. Notably, the clips should be easy to install with regard to both the time and effort involved. The clips should also be reliable; that is to say, once installed, they should not easily be dislodged even when subjected to substantial vibration or other mechanical stresses. Since suspension clips must be relatively inexpensive, it can be expected that substantial dimensional variations will occur during manufacture; but despite such variations, the clips should perform satisfactorily. Another important requirement for such clips is that they afford as much stability as possible to the ceiling construction.

' The clips which have heretofore been used in suspended ceiling constructions have been deficient in various respects. Accordingly, it has been the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ceiling suspension clip which fulfills the foregoing and other requirements more satisfactorily than has been possible with clip designs previously used.

A feature of the invention has been the provision of a ceiling suspension clip which affords line contact along both the top and bottom of the runner upper flange.

Other and further objects, features and advantagesof the invention will appear more fully from the following description.

The ceiling suspension clip of the invention comprises a length of wire having a body portion adapted to be bent to fit over the primary ceiling member and a series of bonds at each end. The bends at each end form a series of connected legs one of which is adapted to be in line contact with the runner flange across the top surface thereof and another of which is adapted to be in line contact with the runner flange across the under surface thereof. The latter leg is shorter in length than the former in order to afford an end surface in contact with a longitudinal bead provided inthe flange.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one form of ceiling suspension clip embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the clip of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the clip of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view, partly in cross section, illustrating the clip of FIG. 1 applied to a ceiling member and runner;

FIG. 5 is a side view, partly in cross section, corresponding to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the clip of FIG. 1 applied to a ceiling member and runner; and

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view, similar to FIG. 3, illustratinga modified clip construction in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the clip of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. A typical runner and primary ceiling member with which the clip 1t"; is used are shown at 11 and 12, respectively.

The primary ceiling member 12 may be made of wood, steel or any other convenient material and it may be in any convenient shape, but most commonly it will be in the form of a steel channel having a web 13, an upper flange 14 and a lower flange 15. The channel 12 is structurally supported in any convenient way so that the web 13 is generally vertical while the flanges 14 and 15 are generally horizontal. Normally, a series of spaced parallel channels 12 will be provided over the space in which the suspended ceiling is to be installed.

The runner 11, which is generally made of steel but can be made of other structural material, is intended to be installed directly beneath the channel 12 and extends substantially at right angles thereto. The runner 11 has a web 16, which is intended to extend in a generally vertical direction, an upperflange 17 and two lower flanges 18 and 19. The flange 17 extends outwardly at right angles to the web 16 at one side of the latter. The flanges 18 and 19 extend outwardly at right angles to the Web 16 at respective sides of the latter. The entire runner 11 may be formed from a single strip of steel bent as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The flanges 18 and 19, which extend generally horizontally, are intended to support acoustical tiles or other ceiling panels or members, and for this purpose a series of spaced parallel runners will be provided across the ceiling area, the spacing between adjacent runners being determined by the size of the tiles, etc. to be supported.

The flange 17 also extends in a generally horizontal direction and the upper surface thereof is intended to be in surface contact with the under surface of the flange 15 of channel 12. The flange 17 is provided with a longitudinally extending groove in the upper surface thereof forming a downwardly extending bead 20 in the under surface thereof. The bead 20 should be spaced from the web 16 by a distance greater than one-half the lateral extent of the flange 17 and preferably about two-thirds of this extent.

The runners 11 extend transversely of the channels 12, the runners and channels crossing at substantially angles. At each point of crossing of a runner andchannel 'one of the clips 10 should be provided to support the runner 11 from the channel 12. This support should be 'such that the upper surface of the flange 17 is held in tight surface contact with the under surface of the flange 15.

The clip id is made from a single length of wire, e.g.,

.120" diameter steel wire. The clip iii has a main or body portion 21 which is straight when viewed in elevation, as in FIG. 2, but which is bent when viewed in plan, as in FIG. 1. The lengthwisedimension of the body portion 21 is shown as A (FIGS. 1 and 2). The body portion 21 has a central section 22 (FTG. 1) and end sections 23 and 24 which are of equal length and are disposed at equal angles with respect to the central section 22. The dimensions B and C in P16. 1 represent the length of the central section 22 and the oifset between the central section and the ends of the body portion 21, respectively. The dimensions A and B will vary depending upon the dimensions of the channel 12, and generally the clips will be made available in a variety of sizes. Typical examples are as follows:

Dimension Dimension A, B, Inches Inches The dimension C should be selected so that, when the clip is installed, the central section 22 extends forwardly of the ends of the body portion 21 but inwardly of the outside edge of the flange 17, as shown in FIG. 5. A typical example of the dimension C is inch.

The wire clip is provided at each end thereof with a series of right angle bends forming a series of legs which, when viewed from the side as in FIG; 3, are disposed in the shape of a rectangular, loop. The first right angle bend adjacent each end of the body portion 22 forms a leg 25. Thesecond right angle bend forms a leg 26, the third right angle bend forms a'leg 2'7, the fourth right angle bend forms a leg 28, and the fifth right angle bend forms a leg 29.

The length of the leg 25 is approximately equal to the width of the flange 1'7, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The

leg 27 is approximately the same length as the leg 25 and their longitudinal axes are parallel in a plane joining these axes. The leg 26 may be of any convenient short length. The axis of the leg 26 makes right angles with the axes of legs 25 and 27 in the plane formed by the legs 25 and 27. However, the axis of the leg 26 is inclined with respect to the axes of the legs 25 and 27 in a transverse plane, as shown in FIG. 2, whereby the legs 25 and 27 are parallel but offset as seen in FIG. 1.

The leg 29 is similarly parallel to but offset from the legs 25'and 27, as seen in FIG. 1. The offset between the legs 27 and 22 is produced by the angular disposition of the leg 23 with respect to the axes-of the legs 27 and 29, as shown in FIG. 2.

The legs 25 and 29 should be maintained strictly parallel so that when the clip is installed, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the leg 25 is in line contact with the upper surface of flange 17 while the leg 29 is in line contact with the under surface of flange 17. The legs 25 and 29 contact the flange 17 in generally the same region.

The length and angular disposition of the leg 28 should be selected with respect to the length and angular disposition of the leg 26 so that the legs 25 and 29 overlap in a vertical plane when viewed from the side as in FIG. 3.

' In this way relatively large angles may be maintained be tween the axes of the sections'23 and 24 and the surface of flange 17, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. When installed, .as-shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the legs 25 and 29 will be displaced slightly from each other in the plane of the flange 17, but this relationship will vary somewhat from clip to clip and from installation to installation.

The leg 29 should be approximately equal in length to the width of flange 17 between the web to and the bead 20 so that the end edge of the leg 29 will abut against the head 26 and thus assist in preventing accidental dislodging of the clip'ld' Since it is undesirable for the leg 29 to be longer than described and since manufacturing tolerances commensurate with the low'cost of an item of this character must be observed, it is desirable that the leg 29 be designed to be slightly shorter than the optimum length described.

By way of example, typical approximate dimensions for the loop legs to be used with a flange '17 width of about inch and a web-bead spacing of about V inch are:

Leg Dimension Length,

(Fig. 3) Inches 25. D 412 26 E %e 27 F 28. G }4 29 H 312 7 section 22 of the body portion 21 is disposed over the flange 14. Assuming the right-hand loop (FIG. 2) is at the level of the flange 17, this loop is then put'into position on the flange with the leg 25 adjacent the upper surface thereof and the leg 29 adjacent the under surface thereof. The loop is inserted over the flange 17 until the leg 26 contacts the outer edge of the flange 17 or until the leg 28 contacts the web 16, depending upon the loop dimensions. r

The body portion 21 of the clip is then bent around the flange 14 of channel 12, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 until the left-hand loop is disposed at the level of the flange 17. The body portion is bent outwardly slightly so that the left-hand loop maybe inserted over the flange 17, the leg 25 lying along the upper surface of the flange and the leg 29 lying along the under surface thereof.

The action of bending the body portion of the clip '10 over the channel 12 twists the right-hand loop until the legs 25 and 29 thereof are in tight line contact with their respective surfaces of the flange 17. The restraint placed upon the clip by this same bending action causes the legs 25 and 29 of the left-hand clip to lie approximately in the plane of the flange 17 so that the left-hand loop must be forced over the flange and particularly over the head 29. Thus the legs 25 and 29 of the left-hand loop will be in tight line contact with their respective surfaces of the flange 17. The bending action causes the legs forming the loops to change their dispositions with respect to the body portion 21 from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to that shown in FIGS. 4- and 6. In FIGS. 4 and 6 the legs effectively extend inwardly of the body portion rather than outwardly as in FIGS. 1 and 2. In each case the end edge of the legs 29 will be in abutting contact with the bead 2t). The spring action of the steel clip when bent assumes a tight contact of the legs 25 and 29 of both loops with the flange 17.

7 The clip 10 should be installed so that the central section 22 of the body portion 21 of the clip is disposed over the top of the channel 12, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this way, and by virtue of the angular disposition between the sections 22, 23 and 24 of the body portion 21 (as shown in FIG. 1), the section 22 contacts the flange 14 of channel 12 at a transverse plane intermediate the transverse planes corresponding to the web 16 and the outer edge of the flange 17. This arrangement provides 25 and 29 need be completely straight. To facilitate bending of the wire to form the flange engaging loops, onein the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ceiling construction, comprising an elongated runner, an elongated ceiling member, and a wire clip for attaching said runner to said member, said runner and said member extending transversely with respect to each other and said runner having an elongated flange arranged :to have the upper surface thereof in surface contact With the under surface of said ceiling member in the region of crossing of said ceiling member and said runner, and said flange having a downwardly extending elongated projection intermediate the elongated sides there o; said wire clip comprising a body portion bent to fit over said ceiling member and a loop extending generally transversely to said body portion at each end thereof, each of said loops being formed from a series of successive legs formed by a series of bends in said wire, a first one of said legs being in line contact with the upper surface of said flange and a last one of said legs being in line contact with the under surface of said flange, said first leg and said last leg being parallel to each other and extending generally transversely across said flange in the same region whereby said first leg and said last leg of each of said loops tightly grip the respective surfaces of said flange, the length of a said last leg being substantlally equal to the spacing between an elongated side of said flange and said projection whereby contact between the free end of said last leg of each loop and said projection prevents accidental dislodgment of said clip.

'2. A wire clip for use in attaching an elongated runner to an elongated ceiling member, said runner and said member extending transversely with respect to each other and said runner having an elongated web and an elongated flange projecting from one edge of said web and arranged to have the upper surface thereof in surface contact with the under surface of said ceiling member in the region of crossing of said ceiling member and said runner, said flange having a downwardly extending elongated projection intermediate said web and the free edge of said flange; said wire clip comprising a body port1on adapted to be bent to fit over said ceiling member and a loop extending generally transversely to said body portion at each end thereof, each of said loops being formed from a series of successive legs formed by a series of substantially 90 bends in said Wire, a first one of said legs being adapted to be in line contact with the upper surface of said flange and a last one of said legs being adapted to be in line contact with the under surface of said flange, said first leg and said last leg being parallel to each other and extending generally transversely across said flange in the same region whereby said first leg and said last leg of each of said loops tightly grip the respective surfaces of said flange when said body portion of said clip is bent to fit over said ceiling member, the length of said last leg being substantially equal to the spacing between said web and said projection whereby contact between the free end of said last leg of each loop and said projection prevents accidental dislodgment of said clip when installed.

3. A wire clip for use in attaching an elongated runner to an elongated ceiling member, said runner and said member extending transversely with respect to each other, said runner having an elongated web and an elongated flange extending from said web and arranged to have the upper surface thereof in surface contact with the under surface of said ceiling member in the region of crossing of said ceiling member and said runner, and said flange having an elongated bead-like projection extending downwardly from the under surface thereof intermediate the elongated sides of said flange; said wire clip comprising a body portion adapted to be bent to fit over said ceiling member, and a flange engaging loop extending generally transversely to said body portion at each end thereof, each of said loops being formed from a series of successive legs formed by a series of bends in said wire, a first one of said legs being adapted to be in line contact with the upper surface of said flange transversely thereof and with the point of juncture of said first leg and said body portion being adjacent the plane of said web and a lastone of said legs extending generally parallel with said first leg in the same region of said flange and having a length substantially equal to the distance between said web and said projection, said first and last legs engaging in line Contact andgripping therebetween the upper and under surfaces, respectively, of said flange when said body portion is bent over said ceiling member.

4. A wire clip for use in attaching an elongated runner to an elongated ceiling member, said runner and said member extending transversely with respect to each other, said runner having an elongated web and an elongated flange extending from said web and arranged to have the upper surface thereof in surface contact with the under surface of said ceiling member in the region of crossing of said ceiling member and said runner, and said flange having an elongated bead-like projection extending downwardly from the under surface thereof intermediate the elongated sides of said flange; said wire clip comprising a body portion adapted to be bent to fit over said ceiling member, and a loop extending generally transversely to said body portion at each end thereof, each of said loops being formed from a series of successive legs formed by a series of bends in said wire, a first one of said legs being adapted to be in line contact with the upper surface of said flange transversely thereof and with the point of juncture of said first leg and said body portion being adjacent the plane of said web, a second one of said legs being adapted to extend downwardly from the outer edge of said flange, a third one of said legs being adapted to extend generally parallel with said first leg underneath said flange, a fourth one of said legs being adapted to extend toward said flange in a region adjacent said web, and a fifth one of said legs extending generally parallel with said first leg in the same region of said flange and having a length substantially equal to the distance between said web and said projection, said first and fifth legs engaging in line contact and gripping therebetween the upper and under surfaces, respectively, of said flange when said body portion is bent over said ceiling member.

5. A wire clip for use in attaching an elongated runner to an elongated ceiling member, said runner and said member extending transversely with respect to each other, said runner having an elongated web and an elongated flange extending from said web and arranged to have the upper surface thereof in surface contact with the under surface of said ceiling member in the region of crossing of said ceiling member and said runner, and said flange having an elongated bead-like projection extending downwardly from the under surface thereof intermediate the elongated sides of said flange; said wire clip comprising a body portion adapted to be bent to fit over said ceiling member, said body portion having an intermediate section and two end sections, said sections forming a straight line in one plane but having an angular disposition between said respective end sections and said intermediate section in a transverse plane, and a loop extending generally transversely to said body portion at each end thereof, each of said loops being formed from a series of successive legs formed by a series of bends in said wire, a first one of said legs being adapted to be in line contact with the upper surface of said flange transversely thereof and with the point of juncture of said first leg and said body portion being adjacent the plane of said web, a second one of said legs being adapted toextend downwardly from theouter edge of said flange, a third one of said legs being adapted to extend generally parallel with said first leg underneath said flange, a fourth one of said legs being adapted to extend toward said flange in a region adjacent said web, and a fifth one of said legs extending generally parallel with said first leg in the same region of said flange and having a length substantially equal to the distance between said web and said projection, said first and fifth legs engaging in line contact and gripping therebe- 'tween the upper and under surfaces, respectively, of said flange when said body portion is bent over said ceiling member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 660,900 10/00 Houghton 2473 1,252,781 1/18 Clark 189-35 1,326,887 12/ 19 Wood 7473 1,785,061 12/30 White 72--1l8 1,879,778 9/32 Venzie 721 18 2,843,230 7/58 Nelsson l8935 RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. A CEILING CONSTRUCTION, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RUNNER, AN ELONGATED CEILING MEMBER, AND A WIRE CLIP FOR ATTACHING SAID RUNNER TO SAID MEMBER, SAID RUNNER AND SAID MEMBER EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND SAID RUNNER HAVING AN ELONGATED FLANGE ARRANGED TO HAVE THE UPPER SURFACE THEREOF IN SURFACE CONTACT WITH THE UNDER SURFACE OF SAID CEILING MEMBER IN THE REGION OF CROSSING OF SAID CEILING MEMBER AND SAID RUNNER, AND SAID FLANGE HAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING ELONGATED PROJECTION INTERMEDIATE THE ELONGATED SIDES THERETO; SAID WIRE CLIP COMPRISING A BODY PORTION BENT TO FIT OVER SAID CEILING MEMBER AND A LOOP EXTENDING GENERALLY TRANSVERSELY TO SAID BODY PORTION AT EACH END THEREOF, EACH OF SAID LOOPS BEING FORMED FROM A SERIES OF SUCCESSIVE LEGS FORMED BY A SERIES OF BENDS IN SAID WIRE, A FIRST ONE OF SAID LEGS BEING IN LINE CONTACT WITH THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID FLANGE AND A LAST ONE OF SAID LEGS BEING IN LINE CONTACT WITH THE UNDER SURFACE OF SAID FLANGE, SAID FIRST LEG AND SAID LAST LEG BEING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND EXTENDING GENERALLY TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID FLANGE IN THE SAME REGION WHEREBY SAID FIRST LEG AND SAID LAST LEG OF EACH OF SAID LOOPS TIGHTLY GRIP THE RESPECTIVE SURFACES OF SAID FLANGE, THE LENGTH OF SAID LAST LEG BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE SPACING BETWEEN AN ELONGATED SIDE OF SAID FLANGE AND SAID PROJECTION WHEREBY CONTACT BETWEEN THE FREE END OF SAID LAST LEG OF EACH LOOP AND SAID PROJECTION PREVENTS ACCIDENTAL DISLOGMENT OF SAID CLIP. 